Helping the American economy by buying American
EDIT ADD IN: Petition for America
Made in the USA blog
Our government has had multiple years to address our "fiscal cliff" issues and it has had a hard time working together to resolve our problems. We've been fighting high unemployment rates for years. We’ve sent over 4 million jobs overseas since 2001. And with lost jobs comes lost tax revenue. As citizens we shouldn’t feel like there is nothing we can do to stem the tide.
In his re-election speech Obama said "America's never been about what can be done for us. It's about what can be done by us...." The quote was Obama's version of a popular JFK quote, "ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." We can make a difference. We can help the American economy by buying American made products from American companies when possible. The average American spends $700 on holiday gifts and goodies, totaling more than $465 billion. If that money was spent entirely on US made products it would create 4.6 million jobs. If every American spent $64 on American made goods during holiday shopping, the result would be 200,000 jobs.
I’m suggesting that buying American when possible is a rational response to some of our economic woes, and this page seeks to make that task easier for you. I understand there are some objections to this concept, some of them have merit, but I contend it will help more than it will hurt if Americans spend just a little more on products made in the USA. This is the discussion thread for the Buy American page.
Please feel free to list your favorite American companies in this thread. The following companies are owned and manufactured in The United States of America:
Our Own Candle Company
Our Own Candle Company
Crayola...
Crayola is based in Pennsylvania and makes most of their products in America
Cherubs Blanket...
Cherubs Blanket of Vermont has organic items for babies made in Vermont
Green Toys...
Green Toys are 100% recycled plastic and made in America
Rada Cutlery...
Rada Cutlery is 100% American made in Waverly Iowa
Mountain Laurel
Mountain Laurel Mercantile based in Pennsylvania has manufacturing in Vermont and offers table linens, cutlery, utensils, pewter, sleepwear, footwear, even office supplies!
Bullet Blues
Bullet Blues manufactures clothing and jeans in the USA
Bamboosa...
Bamboosa makes lap logs to assist in tablet viewing
Tough Traveler Bags...
Tough Traveler bags and luggage packs
Fenton Art Glass...
Fenton Art Glass Compnay ranks among the world's foremost producers of handmade art glass.
Besheer Art Tile
Besheer Art Tile made using hand painted raised porcelain enamels
Wigwam Socks
Wigwam Socks are great in cold weather.
Channel Craft
Channel Craft toys and games are 100% American made down to the packaging they come in!
Poof-Slinky...
The Poof Slinky company invented the Slinky and has tons of American made toys!
Deep River Snacks:
Deep River Snacks Popcorn and Chips
Leatherman Tools
Leatherman Utility tools are Americas Army Knife!
Bully Tools
Bully Tools produces a long list of handled tools like garden tools, farm tools, shingle removers, floor scrapers, forestry and other specialty tools
Channellock Tools
Channellock hand tools make wrenches and pliers in America
The earliest Tavern Puzzles are based on designs centuries old. New styles are added on a regular basis; some of these are original designs, others are new versions of classics. Tavern Puzzles® are reproductions of a type of puzzle traditionally forged by blacksmiths to amuse their friends at country taverns and inns. Keeping with tradition, a museum-trained blacksmith from Long Island has reproduced some of these antique designs as well as his own original designs. All the puzzles are handcrafted and individually assembled.
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Awesome and agreed. When I go home to watch the Redskins get their buts handed to them today, I'll be drinking American beer. YINGLING!
But will get my mom some local stuff too for X-mass
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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I think buying American is an excellent idea, too bad it's so difficult to actually do that.
Yesterday at Trader Joes I couldn't choose between spanish onions and yellow onions. They were the same price. I looked at the packages. One was from Peru, the other said "Product of the USA." My decision was easy. I double checked my cheese, it was from Wisconsin.
I will continue to expand on the first post and the linked page. I will make it as easy as possible for you. In terms of clothing, check out American Apparel. They make everything in the US, employee over 4,000 workers in LA, and export their clothing to foreign nations!
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Thanks Sapient. Even though it's common knowledge that we members here at RRS are a pretty politically diverse group of atheists, I think that we are all in agreement that we want to do the kinds of things that support our own economy and can contribute in some small way as individuals.
Be warned that some companies will say "of the USA" but it will only be packaged here.
I'm glad this is well received by the first few of you to comment. There are objections to this concept. And if there were some place I would expect for people to want to debate the opposing side it would be on an atheist forum. I have studied both sides extensively and have come to my conclusion that dedicating a larger percentage of my purchases at products made in America is beneficial to this country. I also understand we have readers of other nations and while I'd love to see them buy American, I can understand if they want to utilize this same idea to stimulate their own country by purchasing products made in their homeland.
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Why buy an American product if the same one has higher quality and a lower price than one produced overseas? Hondas, Nissans, and Toyotas, have all rated near the top in Consumer Reports magazine for many decades. The Treaty Clause in the US Constitution mainly deals with free trade. You can find this in the Federalist Papers and other original documents. Making trade barriers and restrictions actually hurts our economy. When I can purchase a product for less money and receive a higher quality, as an American citizen, I will have more money to buy an American product; assuming it has any quality itself. The problem isn't items we purchase, rather, it is the printing of paper money; making our dollar more worthless; and higher taxation placed upon purchased items. That is the root of the problem. We need to honor the Constitution that requires 'payment of debts in silver and gold coin'. We cannot counterfeit gold or silver, therefore, a fascist government cannot create money out of thin air and have taxation policies, i.e. VAT tax, corporate taxes, etc.; that destroy incentives for quality at the employee level, as there are lower wages as a result. A more restricted Federal Government will then be forced to stay within the bounds of Art.1, Sec.8 of the Constitution that keeps them out of the business world.
Chazmuze
I'm not suggesting that.
I would however suggest that your way of thinking is precisely what helps the downward spiral. I actually own a Honda. I would be hard pressed to find a more reliable and affordable American car. My Honda was manufactured in America, most foreign cars are. I can view my Honda purchase as pro-American in that I will have more money available to buy American products, I am contributing to free trade which in turn ensures American dollars are both good and desireable worldwide, and my emissions/fuel consumption is low.
Like I said, I am not making the argument you created and then responded to. I am saying that when there is an American product of similar quality and similar price I will buy it. I am saying that I will make an attempt to find that item. I will be wary of my purchases. If I see an item that I like in a store and it is foreign, I will come home search for the item made in America and actually spend some time being informed about my purchase. Through my research I have been stunned to learn that there are more American products that are of higher quality and highly competitive on price than I could have imagined. I have taken the time to compile as much as I could find to start this project and will continue with more.
You're way of thinking, is what has blinded me from the truth. The idea that America can't compete has led me to blind acceptance to that idea, and as a result I have likely passed up many opportunities to help the American economy. I refuse to do that any longer. And yes, I know all your other arguments, I have read them. I am not seeking a monopoly on American purchases. I am hoping we afford a little more attention to our purchases and that we dedicate just a slightly higher amount of our purchases to American goods.
Example?
I saw foreign candles just like this at the department store for $18. These are made in America, and are less expensive: Our Own Candle Company
Other examples?
Foreign chocolate is more expensive than American chocolate. Imported beer is more expensive than craft micro brewed beer. Purchasing local also reduces your carbon footprint. Save money, buy local, and save the environment.... save the antiquated [it's going to destroy America] argument.
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This comment has been moved here.
"buy american" is a form of nationalism. i will always buy the best value (quality/cost, among other factors) regardless of where it was made. i think this actually helps america and humanity in general. if america wants to compete in the global market, it needs to make better products. it we "buy american" and lie to ourselves about the quality of our products, we will definitely lose in the end.
chazmuze made a similar comment (although i disagree with the reasoning), which sapient responded to by saying "when there is an American product of similar quality and similar price I will buy it" which was not conveyed in the OP or any point before chazmuze's comment.
i also feel that unless someone is an extreme nationalist, it is really not worth the time to memorize and target the "made in the usa" companies listed. it is not very often that you have two identical products with identical value where the only deciding factor is usa or not usa. if that was the case and the product was labeled made in the usa, i might give preference to it. but i will never go out of my way to give an irrational advantage to a product made in the usa. the winner wins and the loser loses, but reality always wins.
A post objecting to this concept was written and I posted a response. I thought I would post that here so that more of my stance was understood:
In response to Homoeconomicus.
I agree with everything you said. I was calling for a balanced approach. You seem to as well. You titled your piece “irrational response” so I imagine you don’t realize that in your article you have summed up my feelings as well. I am not in opposition to you.
I do worry that you put a stress on arguments I’ve now come to believe we give too much blind adherence to. Throughout my life I’ve slowly learned not to look at labels as production moved overseas because I was accepting what the stores were offering me. They have slowly moved to offer me more foreign goods and less American. The consumer is not king, profit for the megacorp has become king. The big box stores squeeze every penny they can out of low cost goods, and we buy it because it’s there. But what if there is a similarly priced American replacement that isn’t in the big box store I do my shopping at?
I am suggesting we heighten our awareness, not eliminate global trade. Last week I was at the grocery store, and had a decision to make when purchasing onions. They had yellow and spanish onions, and it didn’t matter which I used. They were the same price, same weight, I couldn’t decide. I checked the labels. One came from Peru, the other from the US. I bought the American onions. Was that so wrong? I also reduced my carbon footprint with that purchase.
I am not arguing for government protectionism, I don’t want to see tariffs restricting trade, or other barriers and subsidies typically associated with protectionism. I want to encourage people to make informed decisions. There are American products that are made at similar quality and similar price, or higher quality at similar price. Yes these items may have foreign parts… great!
I agree with your message. “Be thoughtful about what you want to buy, and need to buy. I trust you to make your own choices in an open free trade economy.” I only have a small quibble here. I trust myself to make my own choices, but today I realize that I made poor ones in the past. Blind trust in anyone is no good, including blindly trusting myself. There were many times I could have reduced my carbon footprint by buying local and helped my own economy even more. I blindly accepted the notion that I should just buy foreign.
As for the poor countries of the world, Americans have shown that when we have money to give, we will. And we’d have more of it if we just dedicated a little more of our energy to buying homegrown. And I would advocate for the same if you are from a country other than the one I live in. Are we about to go over the fiscal cliff? I’m just trying to do about the only thing I can do to help.
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Cheers Brian for taking the time to reply, as I sad in response on blog:
"Thanks for clarifying.
The title of the blog was aimed more at protectionism being considered a solution to a country's economic woes – it can actually add to them.
Definitely consumers having the information they need when making purchases can only help."
I'm glad that here you touch on the issue of what buying all American means - which is what I go into on my blog. In practise economies are interconnected, even with buying commodities like fruit or vegetables from different countries the inputs they use (chemicals, capital investments etc, even the financing) could come from the USA and other countries.
What is worrying is misleading labelling about origin of a product.
Trade is one of the best ways to help the impoverished if we can prevent multinationals exploiting (granted a big if but worth doing). In many ways when you start becoming an ethical consumer it's a challenge that leads beyond the initial starting point.
Atheist blog on life, the universe and everything. Shared by PZ Myers, Richard Dawkins and British Humanist Association among others.
http://homoeconomicusnet.wordpress.com/
Understood and agreed. There is a store in New York that actually sells products that are 100% American made. While I would gladly shop there once or twice, it's not what I'm looking for. I hope we can simply pay a little more attention to our purchases. Go from not looking at labels at all to seeking out products that are assembled or made in the USA. If I'm looking for a blender, instead of just heading to big box store and buying one, I would spend a few minutes researching an American option. This search yielding American appliances was the second link, and it took me 5 seconds.
I understand this point and this is one reason I don't think we should become so entrenched with buying American that it's all we allow ourselves to buy. But the alternative arguments to this should be brought up as well. One of which would be that in some cases the inexpensive import products keep inhumane manufacturing houses up and running. I know... in some cases these people prefer to work in a sweatshop because it's there or nothing, I'm not sure if that's the best argument for us to support poor working conditions, but I get the argument. Apple and other tech is made at Foxconn, the workers are just dying to get out of there.
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Red Wing Shoes. Each model clearly states where and how it was made. Made in USA. Made in USA with imported materials. Or made in China...lol. Buy red wing shoes and boots, Keep your feet happy!
I recently heard of this website for finding products made in the US and don't see it noted above.
http://madeinusaforever.com/
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Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
That's one link I didn't have. I have a bunch of sites like that though.
I've also started blogging with at least one other person (more are welcome) at a site designed to feature American made products.
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Another reason not to buy things made in China?
http://www.oregonlive.com/happy-valley/index.ssf/2012/12/halloween_decorations_carry_ha.html
Saw that earlier. Happy Valley is a subdivision just up the road from me.
I never understood buying Halloween costumes.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I do!
Many of you shop Amazon to help support this website. Please sign this Petition asking Amazon to make American products easily searchable.
Also check out this: Made in the USA blog
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Check this post about the Chinese Halloween Costume.
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I have attempted to only purchase American goods but it is really, really difficult.
Last year my wife and I started to purchase only American foods and that limited our food selection. Most items from from Peru or Mexico rather than from America.
Strawberries here in Florida are shipped only around the first freeze, then fade after January. For the rest of the year all strawberries come from Mexico.
living in slovakia has really changed my thinking in regard to produce. they're just now getting to the point here where you can buy almost any produce year-round in the big shops like tesco, but it is still looked on as an obnoxious luxury and unnatural by most people. in fact, most slovaks don't trust produce from the store period.
the idea of having berries outside of summer for me just sounds gross now. i know how tasteless store-bought berries are. we raise most of our vegetables in our garden and what we don't raise, like apples and plums, we get from friends and family. it's very common for slovaks to make gifts of home-grown produce to each other.
pretty much the only produce we buy are citrus fruits, bananas, avocadoes, lettuce, cabbage (we could grow it but we don't eat enough of it to make it worthwhile), garlic (although we're going to start growing that), and occasionally tomatoes, bell peppers, and green onions out of season.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
Same here concerning berries.
I usually sample them before purchase. If they are tart I refuse them. If they are from a different country I refuse them.
I grow a small portion of our herbs, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions and fruit at our house but it is difficult to get mass quanities through these means. The only items which grow tremendously are herbs.
I cheat - locally, there are many, many farms within anywhere from 10 minutes to however long you want to drive. During the summer, you can get almost anything as there are berry farms, orchards, herb farms, general fruits and vegetables. Farmer's markets and fruit stands in many locations. There are vacant lots the city has dedicated to urban gardens - 3 or 4 within about 1/2 mile of my house. There are cooperative fruit and vegetable boxes where you can buy in and get a box of produce every month during the summer delivered to your house. Within 30-40 miles I have a choice of grass fed beef, pork and lamb, chicken, duck, turkey - already slaughtered and packaged. My yard is tiny so I have a small herb garden instead of flowers.
I won't eat most fruit out of season any more - and my favorite, strawberries, I will only buy a variety called Mt. Hood. They don't ship, won't keep longer than about 24 hours if that, and only produce in the spring. I freeze some and make some into preserves and eat myself sick. Then I do without for the rest of the year.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
We go to a farm about an hour away from our house to pick strawberries, but they only last until April and then that is a stretch. The best time is now through March.
There are other farms south of us but they are too far away to make it worth our while.
We also freeze extra strawberries for baking later in the year.
Kind of chilly here, so strawberry season is June-ish.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I buy Canadian. Never shop at American stores unless there's no alternative. Sorry.![Sticking out tongue Sticking out tongue](/modules/smileys/examples/110.gif)
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
Damn Canadians... always stealing our milk.
Go to 2:07 for the joke.
www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-january-9-2013/bridge-to-canada
The Made in America Movement is growing!
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I buy whatever tastes best. Often that is local produce, sometimes it isn't. For example, last year we had an absolutely terrible year for growing squash, so if you wanted decent squash it had to but imported. In general, local produce tastes better because it is fresher and isn't as damaged in transit. However, if I decide I want strawberries in December, I don't give a flying fuck if they are from Mexico if they taste good. The only thing that I eat that is almost completely local is my meat because I insist on butchering the animal myself. The only exceptions being lobster, shrimp, oysters and other ocean fish which I only eat occasionally otherwise and are not available here in Ohio and are always overpriced and low quality. (I really miss living on the coast sometimes.)
I really don't see a point to the locavore movement. Eat what you enjoy, if it is local fine, if it is imported, who cares? Anything produced locally is going to usually be higher quality because most food doesn't ship well, but there are always exceptions. And sometimes in December you want a strawberry and don't give a hoot if it is as good as the strawberry you ate in June. The benefit of living in the US is you can buy any fruit or vegetable at any time of year, most people around the world don't enjoy that luxury. I see no logical reason to deprive yourself of it.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
I wonder what the correlation is between people who buy local produce and those who believe that increased distance of shipping contributes to Global warming?
Thought you might find this interesting... I'm not sure about Walmart... I don't shop there because it tends to give me a yucky feeling.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/15/us-walmart-us-idUSBRE90E0MB20130115